MBA

Profiles

Adil Seetal, MBA 2009

Before he even made the move from his home in Mauritius to Oxford University, Adil Seetal had already established his major: engineering. While he liked the analytical part of engineering, Adil "missed the interaction with people. I wanted something fast-paced and exciting." An internship at Goldman Sachs in his junior year gave him the excitement he was seeking – and a new career direction.

Value of listening

Entering an MBA program was a tough decision for Adil. "It's no longer a requirement for banking," Adil says. "Yet I felt a need to formalize my business knowledge. The key to HBS is that the emphasis isn't on theoretical knowledge, but on sharpening your thinking by engaging tough challenges with incredible people."

"One apprehension I had," says Adil, "was about surviving in an environment with ninety super-competitive people. I've been surprised by how relaxed the atmosphere really is – it's all about learning from each other. In fact, one thing you learn about leadership is that you may be an important cog in the system, but you're still a cog. You have to listen and cooperate with others to be effective."

Adil rejects the one-dimensional idea of leadership as, "Jack Welch rallying his troops. There's no one solution or leadership style that fits everything. The intriguing thing about our cases is that each one brings different qualities to the fore. Leadership is about understanding your talents and biases – and making the most of them."

Tapping sources of potential

For the summer, Adil will intern with Chesapeake Partners in Baltimore, Maryland. He plans on expanding his hedge fund experiences there with further fund work in the U.S. or UK. Long-term, "I'd like to go back to Africa," Adil says. "It's an enormous opportunity of untapped potential – a place where I'd like to invest within a PE or VC firm."